A new dragon-flavored race, yay! [Archive] - Wizards Community

A new dragon-flavored race, yay! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
obrysii
07-09-04, 04:58 PM Everyone is also saying how they should make a low LA, low ECL dragon-based race, so here is my attempt. I posted this on the Races board...but I think the feedback would be better here (being it is dragon based, and such).

Dragonchild

The Dragonchildren are strange creatures said to be the weakest of the child that the Dragonkind are known to produce. They appear to be medium sized versions of their parent type (so in other words, they look like an adult or older dragon of their type, but medium sized).

Dragonchild Racial Traits:
+4 strength, +4 constitution: The Dragonchildren are strong, tough, but not very dexterious.
+3 natural armor: The Dragonchildren have scales that are stronger then normal human flesh.
Quadruped: The carrying capacity of a Dragonchild is 1½ times that of a biped. Besides the obvious effects, they cannot use their forearms to wield weapons, nor can they carry items (outside of rings and bracers) with their forelimbs.
Size: Medium. The Dragonchildren gain no distinctive bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Breath Weapon: 1d8 damage, of the dragon variety the Dragonchild hails from: Acid for Blacks, Coppers, and Greens; Fire for Reds, Golds, and Brass; Cold for Whites and Silvers; Electric for Blue and Bronze; Etc for any other dragon type. This increases to 3d8 damage at character level 6. The save DC is 10 + ½ HD + Con modifier. At first, they can use this once per day, but at character level 8, they may breath 3 times per day, and at level 12, they may use it every 1d4 rounds.
Energy Resistance: The Dragonchild has Energy Resistence 5 to the breath weapon type it has. At level 8, this increases to 10, and at level 12, increases to 15.
Dragon Type: The Dragonchildren are Dragons for the purposes of magical effects and how weapons affect them.
Low-Light Vision: Dragonchildren can see twice as far as humans in low light.
Immunity to Sleep and Paralysis: Dragonchildren share with their draconic parents their immunity to magical sleep and paralysis.
Speed: 30ft., Fly 50ft. (average)
Natural Attacks: Bite 1d6, 2 claws 1d4 (half strength modifier, -5 to hit when used as secondary attack.)
Automatic Languages: Common and Draconic
Level Adjustment: +2 ?
Dunther the Great
07-09-04, 09:37 PM I like it, seems balanced to me.
You might increase the energy resistance at a higher level like you do the breath weapon, not total immunity but 10 or 15 would be good.
jagggar
07-09-04, 09:52 PM I think that the use of the breath weapon should scale rather than jump straight from 1/day to once every 1d4 rounds.

4th 2/day
8th 3/day
12th 1/1d4 rounds
obrysii
07-09-04, 10:49 PM Alright. I like both suggestions, thank you
CrimsonPhoenix
07-09-04, 11:07 PM One thing doesnt fit. I forgot where, but somewhere it says that dragons (and other races) always have immunity to the effect of their breath weapons.

Otherwise, it would seem like they could hurt themselves with it...which wouldn't make much sense. Adding a subtype probably wouldn't hurt the LA too much, since the weakness that comes with it (fire/cold anyway...other immunities aren't that helpful) helps to balance.
obrysii
07-10-04, 10:53 AM I used the Dromite's chitin as an example of it's energy resistence. They get a "breath weapon" to a peticular energy type, and energy resistence 5 to that energy type.
Derren S.
07-10-04, 11:02 AM For the looks I would guess LA +3. Could be LA +2.

But that are only guesses anyway.
obrysii
07-10-04, 06:45 PM See, I don't think it should be LA +3, because that's what a Half-Dragon is. The Half-Dragon gets full immunity to it's breath weapon type, a more powerful breath weapon, better stat adjustments, and all that.
Vampyera
07-10-04, 09:51 PM But medium Half-Dragons don't get a fly speed. I think a LA +3 would be fair.
Dunther the Great
07-11-04, 01:08 AM Originally posted by Vampyera
But medium Half-Dragons don't get a fly speed. I think a LA +3 would be fair.

But if the creature is large it can fly without a +1 to it's LA.
jagggar
07-12-04, 12:33 PM Remember, it's a quadruped and can't generally use normal weapons. Actually, if you aren't using Savage Species, I don't see too much hope for the character. At least not as a melee character.
Derren S.
07-12-04, 02:03 PM An amulet of natural armor is enough to make him a strong melee fighter.
obrysii
07-12-04, 03:05 PM He would make a pretty good combat-oriented monk, since the monk's unarmed damage is seperate from natural attack damage.
Derren S.
07-12-04, 03:25 PM Even better.
Without needing to hold manufactured weapons, the dragonchild can make all his natural attacks as secondary attacks in addition to the monk attacks.
Jurosem
07-13-04, 07:24 AM For balance, I think you're underestimating the value of its breath weapon. This template is inferior to the half dragon in several ways, and ways that would normally warrant a reduction of LA I agree, but a big difference is that you have the breath weapon useable once very d4 rounds, which is way more often than 1/day. 1/day is kinda useful at best, whereas once every d4 rounds is a powerful weapon, and that alone would constitute raising the LA, in my opinion. Especially if you can use Metabreath feats
obrysii
07-13-04, 12:14 PM Yeah, that's why I wasn't sure at what level to allow that. I figured at level 12, any spellcaster should be able to do better then 3d6 damage every 1d4 rounds.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
obrysii 07-09-04, 04:58 PM	Everyone is also saying how they should make a low LA, low ECL dragon-based race, so here is my attempt. I posted this on the Races board...but I think the feedback would be better here (being it is dragon based, and such). Dragonchild The Dragonchildren are strange creatures said to be the weakest of the child that the Dragonkind are known to produce. They appear to be medium sized versions of their parent type (so in other words, they look like an adult or older dragon of their type, but medium sized). Dragonchild Racial Traits: +4 strength, +4 constitution: The Dragonchildren are strong, tough, but not very dexterious. +3 natural armor: The Dragonchildren have scales that are stronger then normal human flesh. Quadruped: The carrying capacity of a Dragonchild is 1½ times that of a biped. Besides the obvious effects, they cannot use their forearms to wield weapons, nor can they carry items (outside of rings and bracers) with their forelimbs. Size: Medium. The Dragonchildren gain no distinctive bonuses or penalties due to their size. Breath Weapon: 1d8 damage, of the dragon variety the Dragonchild hails from: Acid for Blacks, Coppers, and Greens; Fire for Reds, Golds, and Brass; Cold for Whites and Silvers; Electric for Blue and Bronze; Etc for any other dragon type. This increases to 3d8 damage at character level 6. The save DC is 10 + ½ HD + Con modifier. At first, they can use this once per day, but at character level 8, they may breath 3 times per day, and at level 12, they may use it every 1d4 rounds. Energy Resistance: The Dragonchild has Energy Resistence 5 to the breath weapon type it has. At level 8, this increases to 10, and at level 12, increases to 15. Dragon Type: The Dragonchildren are Dragons for the purposes of magical effects and how weapons affect them. Low-Light Vision: Dragonchildren can see twice as far as humans in low light. Immunity to Sleep and Paralysis: Dragonchildren share with their draconic parents their immunity to magical sleep and paralysis. Speed: 30ft., Fly 50ft. (average) Natural Attacks: Bite 1d6, 2 claws 1d4 (half strength modifier, -5 to hit when used as secondary attack.) Automatic Languages: Common and Draconic Level Adjustment: +2 ?
Dunther the Great 07-09-04, 09:37 PM	I like it, seems balanced to me. You might increase the energy resistance at a higher level like you do the breath weapon, not total immunity but 10 or 15 would be good.
jagggar 07-09-04, 09:52 PM	I think that the use of the breath weapon should scale rather than jump straight from 1/day to once every 1d4 rounds. 4th 2/day 8th 3/day 12th 1/1d4 rounds
obrysii 07-09-04, 10:49 PM	Alright. I like both suggestions, thank you
CrimsonPhoenix 07-09-04, 11:07 PM	One thing doesnt fit. I forgot where, but somewhere it says that dragons (and other races) always have immunity to the effect of their breath weapons. Otherwise, it would seem like they could hurt themselves with it...which wouldn't make much sense. Adding a subtype probably wouldn't hurt the LA too much, since the weakness that comes with it (fire/cold anyway...other immunities aren't that helpful) helps to balance.
obrysii 07-10-04, 10:53 AM	I used the Dromite's chitin as an example of it's energy resistence. They get a "breath weapon" to a peticular energy type, and energy resistence 5 to that energy type.
Derren S. 07-10-04, 11:02 AM	For the looks I would guess LA +3. Could be LA +2. But that are only guesses anyway.
obrysii 07-10-04, 06:45 PM	See, I don't think it should be LA +3, because that's what a Half-Dragon is. The Half-Dragon gets full immunity to it's breath weapon type, a more powerful breath weapon, better stat adjustments, and all that.
Vampyera 07-10-04, 09:51 PM	But medium Half-Dragons don't get a fly speed. I think a LA +3 would be fair.
Dunther the Great 07-11-04, 01:08 AM	Originally posted by Vampyera But medium Half-Dragons don't get a fly speed. I think a LA +3 would be fair. But if the creature is large it can fly without a +1 to it's LA.
jagggar 07-12-04, 12:33 PM	Remember, it's a quadruped and can't generally use normal weapons. Actually, if you aren't using Savage Species, I don't see too much hope for the character. At least not as a melee character.
Derren S. 07-12-04, 02:03 PM	An amulet of natural armor is enough to make him a strong melee fighter.
obrysii 07-12-04, 03:05 PM	He would make a pretty good combat-oriented monk, since the monk's unarmed damage is seperate from natural attack damage.
Derren S. 07-12-04, 03:25 PM	Even better. Without needing to hold manufactured weapons, the dragonchild can make all his natural attacks as secondary attacks in addition to the monk attacks.
Jurosem 07-13-04, 07:24 AM	For balance, I think you're underestimating the value of its breath weapon. This template is inferior to the half dragon in several ways, and ways that would normally warrant a reduction of LA I agree, but a big difference is that you have the breath weapon useable once very d4 rounds, which is way more often than 1/day. 1/day is kinda useful at best, whereas once every d4 rounds is a powerful weapon, and that alone would constitute raising the LA, in my opinion. Especially if you can use Metabreath feats
obrysii 07-13-04, 12:14 PM	Yeah, that's why I wasn't sure at what level to allow that. I figured at level 12, any spellcaster should be able to do better then 3d6 damage every 1d4 rounds.